Albert ainley



(No Model.)

A. AINLEY;

PIYGKING MEGHA'NISM FOR LOOMS! No. 599,67 v Patented Mar. 1,1898.

iNvEN'Tu R: #MJ' m: Noam: PETERS co" moruumo" WASNINDTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT AINLEY,

OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. EARL MABBETT, OF SAME PLACE.

PICKING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,676, dated March 1, 1898.

' Application filed May 17,}89'7. Serial No- 636,893. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'ALBERT AINLEY, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picking yielding operating mechanism for the pickerstaff by virtue of which breakage of the parts is obviated in case of obstruction offered to the picker.

A further object of the invention is to diminish the destructive or Wearing effects due to the normal operation of the picking mechanlsm.

The invention consists in the improvements which I shall now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, the picking mechanism and adjacent parts in a loom embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 represents,in vertical section, on a larger scale, the particular features constituting my invention.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in both figures.

Referring to the drawings, the letter a designates a portion of the framework of the loom; b, the lay or batten; b, one of the layswords supporting the lay b, and c the rockshaft on which the lay oscillates. d designates the shuttle-box, e the picker, and e the picker-staff, which is pivoted at e to the rockshaft 0, is actuated by the crank-arm f, and is retracted after its shuttle-throwing stroke by a spring g, connected with the heel of the picker-staff. All of these parts are constructed and arranged to operate as usual.

In place of the usual rigid connecting piece or rod which is ordinarily used to connect the oscillating crank-arm f with the picker-staff e I provide an improved yielding connection constructed as follows: By means of straps or 5 5 loops hand it a rodiis attached to the pickerstaff e at a suitable point above its pivot 6 the said rod having an eye i, through which passes a bolt 11 on the strap h. The rod 'i passes through apertures in two blocks or col- 6o lars j j and is rigidly secured to the farther block j by means of a set-screw 9' A second rod m is' arranged below the rod 1', passes through other apertures in the blocks jj, be-

ing secured at one end to the block j by a setv screw 9' and at the other end to the crank-arm f by means of a pivotal connection. A spring It, surrounding the. bar t', is interposed between the blocks j j, which constitute abutments therefor.

The arm f is supported on a shaft f, which is journaled in a bracket f on the frame a. A cam operates to trip the arm fin the usual manner, thereby swinging the picker-staff c and throwing the shuttle. The spring 70 is of 7 5 sufficient stiffness to overcome the inertia of the picker-staff and shuttle, and the whole mechanism normally operates as though there were a rigid connection between the arm f and the picker-staff 6, except that the spring k diminishes the destructive wear caused by impact of the picker-staff and by the rapid changes in the direction of movement. ,It' will readily be seen, however, that should the picker become obstructed through wedging of the shuttle or other cause the spring is will yield and permit the full travel ofthe crankarm f,while the picker-staff is restrained. In this way breakage of the parts is prevented,

the loom being stopped by the usual knockoff mechanism before the arm f has made its next stroke.

The tension of the spring is may be regulated by changing the distance between the blocks or collars jj'.

From the above description it will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention, as hereinbefore stated, and pro vided an improved resilient connection which may be applied to any loom having a picking roo mechanism similar to that above described.

I claim 1. In a mechanism of the character specified, the combination of a picker-stafi pivoted between said arm and said picker-staff, comprising a rod connected with the picker-staff and having an abutment, a rod connected with the crank-arm and having an abutment, and a spring interposed between said abutments and surrounding one of said rods.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 13th day of May, A. D. 1897.

ALBERT AINLEY. Witnesses:

ALLEN LOFT,

GEO. MABBETT. 

